Still
by bloodredcherry
Summary: An exhausted Billy finally gets the sleep that he needs. This is a Billy, Dualla fic.


**Silence**

**Disclaimer:** _BSG and its characters do not belong to me. This story is for entertainment purposes only._

**Authors Note:** _I'm not too sure what you would call this, so I'll call it a vignette, my little contribution into the BSG universe. In the time line this story wouldbe placed before the season finale._

_Billy/Dee is one of my favourite pairings for this show, so I thought I'd write something for them._

_Anyway, read on and let me know what you think. (Constructive criticism is appreciated... flames, not so much)_

&

**You're broken and I want it  
You're broken and I want it  
Asleep  
Asleep**

**-ben lee, _sleepwalking_**

&

He was trying to eat but instead he dribbled his runny eggs down the front of his shirt. He was a mess. It had been weeks since he had got a decent night's sleep and he was about ready to pass out in his eggs.

Billy had always been a worrier and ever since the war beganit had went from bad to beyond worse. If he wasn't worrying about the president, it was water rations or the civilian ships.

He sighed and mopped up his shirt with a napkin.

Or he thought about Dee.

He sighed again and took a sip of coffee that made him grimace. President Roslin was right, he knew nothing about women. He was just awkward and fumbling, he'd tried to compliment Dualla, but she'd only laughed at him.

That wasn't the kind of hope Billy was looking for. If there was in fact, any reason _for_ hoping. Sure she had kissed him, but had they talked since then? Except for that embarrassing exchange about her hair. (Which he did like by the way, he wondered what it might feel like to touch it, to smell it).

"Frakking..." He paused, "frak!" He slammed his fist down on his tray. He couldn't even swear properly and now he had his breakfast in his lap.

"Billy."

He froze, and he felt a blush spreading up his neck, flushing his cheeks. The president was standing right behind him.

"Yes ma'am?" He asked his voice even, like he couldn't feel the juice from the eggs seeping through his pants.

President Laura Roslin looked at her young assistant, she saw how badly he was trying to keep it all together but she had never seen anyone look so exhausted. His whole body sagged when he thought she wasn't looking, and more than once today she'd seen him nodding off before he would shake himself back awake.

What Billy needed, President Roslin realized, was a break he needed a chance to sleep, and a chance to breathe. She knew that he would put up a fight but he deserved it and she would _make_ him take it.

"You're looking well," Billy said, as he scooped up the mess in his lap and dropped in back onto the tray that he had upturned.

"You're not," the President replied, Billy looked taken aback for a moment, until the President smiled. "You're exhausted Billy." She watched his reaction and she knew he was going to deny it.

"No, I'm fine," _I just wish that I could get off this airplane even for a minute and step on solid ground._ He thought on that word for a moment, _solid_. That was something he would likely never be familiar with again. They would always be on the run; they would always need to be ready for the jump. Babies could be born on the Rising Star but entire water supplies could be destroyed by a few choice bombs. "I..." He trailed off, he felt a yawn come on and was actually too tired to suppress it.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," President Roslin smiled, "it's a difficult time right now," she shook her head. She didn't like using that voice with Billy, what she liked to refer to as her "President" voice her, "everything-is-going-to-be-alright-no-matter-what-comes-our-way" voice. Billy deserved more than that, _everyone_ deserved more than speeches and promises that Laura could only pray would come true. "I want you to do something for me."

"Of course, what do you need?"

"I need for you to take a break."

"Excuse me?"

President Roslin smirked, "I think you heard me."

Billy nodded, "I did, but I just don't know if now is such a great time..."

"I think now is the perfect time," President Roslin smiled, "Just a day."

Billy thought on that for a moment, and then finally he nodded in agreement.

&

The President hadn't asked any questions when Billy requested to be sent to the Battlestar Galactica.It likely wasn't his best choice, he was pretty sure that Admiral Adama wouldn't appreciate having to look after another body.

He changed before they docked, his suit was wrinkled and his shirt had seen better days but at least it wasn't stained and at least it didn't smell of eggs. He fidgeted with his tie, he didn't know why he had even worn the damn thing, it just felt like it was strangling him. He loosened it before tightening it again, and kept going back and force before finally the hatch opened and he stepped out.

No one paid attention to him as he made his way onto the ship, Billy made his was down the hall, the Commander was already aware that Billy was on the ship, he just wasn't sure of his destination. And neither was Billy until he ended up in front of the enlisted men's quarters.

He stared at the door, before pulling it open he stepped into the dark room. He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, and thenhe looked around. Most soldiers were sleeping but a few were reading under the dim light of their flashlights.

"Excuse me," Billy whispered, to a soldier who was flipping aimlessly though a tattered magazine. The man looked up at Billy, "could you tell me where Dualla's bunk is?"

"Twelve A," The man replied before looking back down at his book.

Billy walked along the bunks until he found the bed he was looking for, the top bunk was occupied and from the ponytail of blond hair that was sticking out of the top of the sheets heknew thatitwasn't Dee's bunk.

He took a deep breath and sat down; he shifted on the mattress before deciding to lie down. He would only close his eyes for a moment. He pulled his tie loose and turned onto his side, burying his face into Dee's pillow. He took a deep breath and clutched onto the pillow, it smelled of her and Billy found that deeply comforting.

Just a moment… he just needed a rest from all this thinking.

&

Dualla had been furious when she had nearly sat on the occupant of her bunk. She knew that sometimes the soldiers that came off duty were so tired they fell into the first empty bed they saw but this was _her_ bed. She had just pulled a double shift and all she wanted to do was pass out.

Finally she was exhausted enough to pull of a decent sleep and _someone else was in her bed_.

"Hey," she hissed, stabbing the intruder in the shoulder with an index finger.

She heard a low mumble, but the person made no move to get up.

"_Hey_," she jabbed their shoulder again, harder this time. Still nothing, Lords was he dead? She took hold of him and shook him soundly. "_Get out of_… Billy?" He blinked sleepily up at her. "What the frak are you doing in my bed?"

"Nothin'," he muttered, sitting up, "I wasn' sleepin'."

Dee felt a smile lift the corners of her mouth and she fought to keep a straight face. "Sure you weren't."

Billy wiped the sleep out of his eyes, "I wasn't."

"What were you doing then?"

He looked up at her, and then he let out a long sigh. "I was sleeping."

This time Dee laughed, "You're cute," she said, "now get out of my bunk."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But I came to see you."

"And I came to sleep." She saw the wheels turning, "don't even suggest it."

"Why not?"

"This bunk is too small for the both of us." Dee began to unbutton her uniform. He watched as she pulled off her jacket and hung it on a hook, and then she unbuttoned her fly. "This isn't a private show Billy." His eyes snapped up to hers.

"Sorry," he turned away so quickly that he missed her smile.

She stripped down to her tank top and underwear, she though briefly about grabbing a pair of shorts but changed her mind.

"Billy," she began, but she noticed he was propped up against the wall and his eyes were closed and was he… yes, he was snoring. She shook him awake, "move over." He scooted back against the wall and Dee climbed into bed.

Billy barely moved as she got into the bunk beside him, she wore white panties. He swallowed and wetted his lips with his tongue.

"So," he said with a cough.

Dee groaned and Billy felt it against his chest.

"Less talking more sleeping," Dee burrowed under the blankets.

"Do you mind if I take my coat off?"

"Whatever," Dee yawned.

Billy pulled off his coat and tossed it onto the floor, then he pulled off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, he didn't take it off but left it hanging open. He settled down beside Dee and found he was more awake now than he had been in the past week. He let his eyes travel down the slope of Dee's neck and the curve of her waist, he took a deep breath and lifted a hand and settled it down on Dee's hip.

"No cuddling," Dee mumbled turning over in her sleep.

"Okay," Billy retracted his hand, but Dee reached out and took it curling it against her chest so it was nestled between her breasts. Billy blinked and then he laughed, she was beautiful he watched her until her hand slackened on his and she began to snore lightly. He untangled his hand from hers and didn't let himself think before he brushed his fingers across her forehead. He then ran his fingertips over her hair, she kept snoring and didn't move even when he leant in close and pressed his lips to the crown of her head.

He lay his head down on the other half of the pillow.

Now he could finally sleep.

&

_There we have it folks._


End file.
